UCO Advisory Committee

UCO Advisory Committee

The University of California Observatories Advisory Committee (UCOAC) advises the UCO Director on the full range of policy issues related to University of California use of Lick Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Thirty-Meter Telescope International Observatory. The UCOAC evaluates University of California (UC) system-wide initiatives relevant to optical and infrared observational capabilities.

Last Meeting:
February 26^th 2021, 9am - 2pm
Agenda

Next Meeting:
May 26^th 2021, 9am - 2pm

Until further notice, all UCOAC meetings will take place via Zoom. Agendas will be posted several days in advance. If you are a UC astronomer and would like to attend the open sessions, please send an email to stars@ucolick.org

Minutes and Agendas from Past Meetings:

November 18^th 2020, 1pm - 5pm
Agenda Minutes

September 4^th, 2020
Agenda Minutes

May 28^th, 2020
Agenda Minutes

March 20^th, 2020
Agenda Minutes

December 5^th, 2019
Agenda Minutes

June 4^th, 2019
Agenda

February 6^th, 2019
Agenda Minutes

October 26^th, 2018
Agenda Minutes

May 7^th, 2018
Agenda Minutes

February 2^nd, 2018
Agenda Minutes

Archive of previous meetings:

UCOAC Charter

July 2020

The University of California Observatories Advisory Committee (UCOAC) was established in 2012 and advises the UCO Director on the full range of policy issues related to University of California use of Lick Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, and the Thirty-Meter Telescope International Observatory. The UCOAC evaluates new UC astronomy initiatives relevant to optical and infrared observational capabilities. The committee meets four times per year (March, June, September, November) and holds additional telecons meetings that may require further deliberation. The November meeting agenda is primarily review of the UCOAC Mini-Grant and other UCO proposals. The UCOAC will establish ad hoc or standing subcommittees to address specific issues. In addition to providing advice to the Director, the UCOAC is the representative body charged with keeping astronomers throughout the system apprised of UCO activities and with gathering system-wide input on important issues related to UCO facilities and science priorities. The UCOAC Chair submits an annual report to the UCO Director that may be included in UCOP reports.

The membership consists of the following:

• One member each from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego, and UC Merced.
• UC members of the Keck Observatory Science Steering Committee.
• UC members of the Thirty-Meter Telescope Science Advisory Committee.
• UCO Director and UCO Deputy Director

All of the above are voting members and allowed during committee executive sessions.

Appointments to the UCOAC will be made by the UCO Director with concurrence of the relevant Department Chair. Campus members should arrange an alternate if they cannot attend a meeting, and inform the UCOAC chair and UCO Director of the change.

Terms of campus members will be three years. In some cases, membership may be renewed for a second term. The UCOAC Chair, chosen from one of the above members, will serve for a two-year term with an option for renewal.

The following UCO faculty and staff will also attend UCOAC meetings:

• UCO Associate Director for Instrumentation
• UCO Associate Director for the UCLA IR Lab
• UCO Associate Director for the Thirty-Meter Telescope
• UCO Assistant Director for Administration
• UCSC, Director Laboratory for Adaptive Optics
• UCO Chief Development Officer

Except for executive sessions, UCOAC meetings are open to UC personnel, and an announcement of the meeting agenda will be distributed to the UC astronomical community at least three days before each meeting date. Minutes of the meetings will be kept and posted at the UCO website.

Current UCOAC Members

Shelley Wright, UCSD, UCOAC Chair
Alex Filippenko, UCB
Ben Mazin, UCSB
Andrea Ghez, UCLA
Michael Cooper, UCI
Andy Skemer, UCSC
George Becker, UCR
David Wittman, UCD

Ex-Officio UCOAC Members

Claire Max, UCO Director
Matthew Shetrone, UCO Deputy Director
Aaron Barth, UCI, Keck SSC
Mike Fitzgerald, UCLA, Keck SSC
Lori Lubin, UCD, TMT SAC
Mariska Kriek, UCB, Keck SCC
Tommaso Treu, UCLA, TMT SAC

Ex-Officio UCOAC Attendees

Mike Bolte, UCSC, UCO Associate Director TMT
Phil Hinz, UCSC, Director Laboratory for Adaptive Optics
Anna Korossy, UCSC, UCO Associate Director, UCO Planning and Resources
Connie Rockosi, UCSC, UCO Associate Director UCO Labs
Natasha Pedroza, UCSC, UCO Chief Development Officer